emerson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. V. L. EMERSON.

LUMBER DRIER. I I No. 535,982. Patented Mar. 19; 1895.

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Patented Mar; 19, 1895.

W i-Zness e-S THE uonms PETERS co. marom' UNITE STATES 'ATENT FFIcE.

VICTOR L. EMERSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO ANNETTE E. EMERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

LUMBER-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,982, dated March19, 1895.

' Application filed June 20, m4. Serial No. 515,112. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying-Kilns; and I doherebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descripjtion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of referf ence marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention is a new and improved dry kiln, whereby the heated air isnot cooled or discharged from the kiln room until it .becomes fullysaturated with moisture.

This invention relates to animproved form of drying kiln designedparticularly for drying lumber but useful in drying any other materialby heated air, and the object of the invention is to construct a simple,durable and inexpensive kiln which will be efiective in operation,economical of heat, and wherein sufficient moisture (derived from thesubstance or material being dried), will be automatically retainedduring the initial stages to keep the exposed surfaces of such substance or material from becoming too dry, and to maintain such surfacesin the best condition until the internal moisture therein has beenextracted. t

In my improved kiln the operation is such that the heated air is firstretained and caused to circulate in a natural way through the materialbeing dried until the latter reaches a desired high temperature, densityand humidity, its higher temperature increasing its capacity to absorbmoisture, its greater density insuring its more equal and thoroughdissemination throughout the lumber or other material that is beingdried, and its humidity preventing the hardening of the exteriorsurfaces of the lumber before the interior parts thereof become dry.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings,iwhich, with the letters of reference marked thereon form apart of this specification, and in which- Figure 1, isa verticaltransverse section of my improved form of kiln. Fig. 2, is a like viewofa similar but less expensive kiln.-

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings, A, A representinlets for cold air; B. B.,air passage; 0.,opening to radiators Be itknown that I, VICTOR L. EMnRsoN, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,have inand dryingchamber; D, radiators; E. E. E. E, iron tracks forsupporting cars; F. F, trucks forsupporting material; G. G, materialbeing dried; H/H. H; parts of the structure acting as deflectors fordirecting the current of heated air'horizontally through the material.

I is a perforated floor or walk way.

J. J, arecovers and walk ways for directing air through radiators.

K. K, are spaces between walls of building and the material being dried.

L. L, are receivers or separators out of line of upward current in whichthe heavier portions of saturated air settle.

M. M, is space for the heated portions of air to become separated anddraft upward.

N, is the point where the heated air cushions and forms a returncurrent.

O. O, isthe heavier portions of saturated air forming into aneddy andseparating.

P. P, are ducts or siphons leading downward, carrying the moisture thathas been separated by gravitation, and discharging it into theatmosphere.

Q Q, are adjustable covers at outlets of siphons;

R. R, are walls of building packed with non conducting material. 1

S. S, are inner wallsof building. 7

T. T, are ducts or siphons leading downward from drying room, into coldair chamber at U.

V. V, is a floor above air passage.

W. W, are walls to ducts or siphons.

X. X, is distributing chamber beneath radiators.

Y.-Y, are landings at each side of kiln building, and connected toframeof kiln structure and firmly braces it.

2. z, is earth.

a. a, is dry heated air denoted 'by arrows.

b. b, is partially saturated air; 0. c, heated air that has not becomefully saturated, and being retained in kiln. e p

In the operation of the kiln I prefer the drying chamber arranged toreceive two lines of cars, with material piled on them lengthwise thedryingchainber, having a space (1, between the two lines of material G.G, and spaces K.

K, between the material and the walls of the building S. S, so that thestrips used to separate the material, will not interfere with the sidecirculation of heated air from space (1, to outlet or space E. B, andthat the heated air a. a, will come in contact with material to bedried, before it is cooled or comes in contact with the building walls,

When the drying chamber is charged with material as shown, both ends ofthe chamber are closed with suitable doors. Cold air enters at A. A.,and travels through channels B. B, and enters opening in floor V. V, atG, into chamber X. X, where it is distributed to radiators D. D, andheated, passing upward into space (1, between cars of material, andthrough openings between the edges of material'G. G. There being greaterspace at d, and less resistance, the heated air a. a, coming in contactwith deflectors H. H. H, is deflected horizontally and verticallythrough the material G. G, bringing the heated air in contact with everypart of the material, where it absorbs moisture from the material; isincreased in weight, becomes cool and is discharged into space K. K,where it flows rapidly downward into ducts or siphons T. where it is metby a current of incoming cold air at U. U, where the particles ofmoisture being held in suspension by the air is condensed on the groundas it passes along channel B. B. This partially heats the cold air wherethe two mingle together and they enter through floor at C, aredistributed to the radiators and pass through the material. This actionis continuous until the material G. G, becomes so heated that the heatedair in passing through, remains sufficiently rarefied to ascend, andcarry with it in suspension the moisture which it has ab sorbed. Thenall action of the lower siphons T. T, ceases, and the heated andpartially saturated air I). b. will then flow upward through channels K.K, where it is met above the material G. G, by a heated current 0. c,which causes the upward current of partially saturated air to pass intoreceiver or separator L. L, and out of the line of the current, where itforms into a revolving eddy, and the heavier portions of saturated air0. O, are siphoned down ducts or siphons P. P, and pass from their lowerends into the atmosphere, in the form of mist or dew, while the heatedpoi" tions which are not fully saturated, owing to their difference ingravity, become separated, and move upward, circulating along under theroof, until they reach N, where they are protected from the upwardcurrent, and being somewhat cooled in their circuit, flow downward, andagain intersect the partially saturated current from the material.

It will be seen, that owing to the size of the receiver or separatingchamber L. L, which is located out of the line of upward current, thevelocity of the current is greatly reduced at that point, which allowsthe heavier portions of the interior atmosphere to settle downward andbecome separated, and siphoned out without wasting heat that is notsaturated,

while it these were diminished in size, so that the current would havethe same velocity, as in the upward channels, the heated air would notbecome so thoroughly separated and a large amount of unsaturated heatwould be forced out by the current.

The amount of air that enters the kiln from the outer atmosphere isregulated automatically, and requires no attention, and becomes evenlydistributed to the radiators D, and they will not receive air in excessof what is carried off in saturation.

It will be seen that after the air passes through the radiators and isheated, it passes upward, through the material and into the space orreceiver d, where it is pocketed by cover or deflector H, over saidspace or receiver and the upward current of hot air from the radiatorsforces it through the material, in a transverse direction, partiallysaturating it with moisture and after passing through material and upthrough the spaces K. K, it is caught in the eddy or opposing currentsabove the material, and carried into the receivers or separators L. L,above the material, until it becomes so thoroughly saturated withmoisture, that it will fall by gravitation through the siphons or ductsand pass into the atmosphere, and the lighter unsaturated portions ofthe heated air will not follow it downward, and are not wasted. Thefully saturated air forms a siphon for the heavy satu rated air in spaceor separator L. L, and also that in the kiln, and causes a rapidcirculation, in the drying room.

It will be seen that no moisture or heated air will escape from kilnthrough separator or space L. L, or siphons, P. P, until the materialbecomes snfficiently heated as to allow the heated air from below toremain sutli-- ciently rarefied as to force-the moisture and heavilysaturated air up to the level of the top of the material, or thereabout,holding it in suspension until it passes into the receiver or separatorL. L, and for the purpose of handling the moisture, and controlling thecirculation in the kiln until the temperature of the material is raisedto the proper degree as named above, I construct channels or siphons T.T.

I have found by practice that when the kiln is freshly charged with coldor wet material, the heated air in passing through the material, becomesquickly saturated with moisture and cool, and its weight or gravity soincreased as to cause it to flow rapidly downward until the lumber ormaterial in the drying room becomes heated, and that the mate rial muststay in the drying room several hours before it will be sufficientlyheated to allow the upward current to carry the moist- IIO ure up to thelevel of the receiver or separator L. L, and the ducts or siphons T. T,take care of it at once and no time is lost after the material is placedin the kiln, and the drying commences at once, under a very lowtemperature.

-The heated air as before stated, by passing through the cold or wetmaterial, horizontally or otherwise, becomes saturated and cool veryquickly and descends from spaces K. K, by its gravity into the ducts orsiphons T. T, below, thus siphoning the heavy saturated air from thekiln, same as the upper ducts, and the heated air which isnot-saturated,-will not follow it downward, and is not wasted, and agood circulation is created in the kiln from the first by the siphons.The exits of the siphons are preferably in the cold air inlet'passage,and the heavily saturated ai r .there, from the drying room above, comesin contact with the inward current of'cold air, and the moisture iscondensed .on the earth, which forms the bottom of the cold air inletpassage, partially heating the cold air as it flows toward the radiatorsthrough the opening 0, as shown. After thematerial in the kilnbecomes'heated to the proper temperature, the passage of moisture ladenair through the lower siphons T. T, will cease; the heat being greater,and the moisture less, and the saturated air will be carried upward bythe current, and will become separated by its gravity in the eddy of theupper receiver or separator and. be siphoned out into the atmosphere bythe siphons or ducts leading therefrom, while the heated air notsaturated will ascend and remain in the kiln. Thuswhen the top or uppersiphons are working, the lower ones will be idle, or vice versa, eachset of channels or siphons working alternately according to the degreesof temperature, and moisture in the drying chamber.

It will be noticed that all the outlets from the interior of the dryingroom, are passages opening downward and discharging below the pointwhere they open or connect with the kiln room or drying chamber, whichserves several purposes. It puts the"draft or circulation underperfectcontrol, and prevents unsaturated heated air from escaping fromthe room, because it is lighter than the atmosphere outside and tends toascend, and will not go down through the siphons or passages, until itis saturated, and there will be no discharge from the kiln to wasteheat, until the heated air becomes saturated and heavy by coming incontact with green, cold, or Wet material, so that it will fall, andthen it will only pass out in proportion to the amount of material inthe room, so that if only a small amount of material is to be dried in alarge size kiln, it will only use heat in proportion to the amount ofmaterial being in the kiln to dry. This is not the case with any otherdry kiln in use; In other kilns, the outward flow of heated air is aboutthe same, whether there is material in the kiln or not. In fact it isgreater when there is nothing in the kiln, and the draft uncontrolledand unimpeded by the material, the current being continuous, and causesa great Waste of heat. When material is put in other kilns such as arein common use, the heated air takes a course through the room thatolfers the least resistance, and consequently it takes a course aroundthe piles of material, where the openings are largest, and dries theouter surfaces of the piles long before the center or interior is dry,causing a part of the material to be overdried, before other parts aredry, and very ununiform Work. g

In my improved kiln,the"down ward disposed passages interrupt the heatedair and hold it until it becomes saturated, and heavy, and causes greatdensity in the kiln or drying room, causing perfect contact with all thematerial alike, and causes or produces uniform drying, and when the airbecomes sufficiently saturated and heavy, the siphons or ducts commenceto separate the heavy saturated portions and siphon them from the room,causing a strong circulation, and removing or discharging only such airas will not absorb any more moisture, and only retaining what moisturethat is needed in contact with the material to prevent the poresclosing, and injury to the material from heat and'lessening the firerisk, the amount of humidity being regulated by raising or lowering theexits of the siphons. It will thus be seen that in a kiln provided withducts or siphons as de scribed, it is absolutely necessary for theheated air to come in direct contact with the material to be dried, andladen with moisture from the material, before it can escape from thedrying room, and that none is wasted, and that sufficient moisture isretained in the drying room to prevent injury to the material by heat,and that it is self controlling or automatic in its action.

I am aware that dry kilns have been constructed to receive the materialpiled length wise the drying room, with radiators beneath the dryingchamber, and with heated air entering between the walls of the chamber,and the material to be dried, and having on the opposite sides of thematerial openings or outlets, leading to chimneys to cause a draftwhereby the heated air, both saturated and unsaturated passes around andthrough the material without any detention of the heated air to allow itto become fully saturated, and passes out before it has become fullysaturated, causing a great waste of heat; only a portion of the heatedair passing through the material and not retaining sufficient moisturein the kiln to prevent Warping, splitting or case hardening, and do notclaim the above as new, or as producing the same effect as my invention,but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A drying kiln having a drying chamber; supports for sustaining thematerial to be dried, descending air passages in the side walls havingtheir upper parts open to receive the moist air from the said dryingchamber and provided with exits to the open air located above saidsupports and below the tops of the air passages.

2. A drying kilnhaving a drying chamber resting oii a suitable base, anddescending air passages having their upper parts open to receive themoist air from the said drying chamber and provided with exits to theexternal atmosphere, said exits being located between the upper openingsand the said base.

3. A drying kiln having in combination, a drying chamber, means forsupplying heat thereto, afalse floor below the heater, a fresh airsupply passageB below the false floor communicatiug with the heatingchamber, anda descending outlet passage for the delivery of moist airfrom the drying chamber to the passage 13, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

4. A drying kiln having in combination a drying chamber, means forsupplying heat, descending air outlet passages in the side walls andopen at their top, and an exterior projection in the upper portion ofthe side walls to facilitate the settling of the moist air into the topopenings of the said descending passages.

5. A drying kiln having in combination a drying chamber, descending airoutlet passages having their upper ends open to receive moist air fromthe said chamber and provided with exits to the external atmosphere, anda lower down passage or chamber communicating with the said dryingchamber and with the base below said chamber, substantially asdescribed.

6. A drying kiln having in combination a drying chamber containingdouble tracks so arranged as to provide vertical air circulatingpassages between the loaded cars upon the tracks in the drying chamber,means in the drying chamber for supplying heat, communications from thedrying chamber extending down and below the means of supplying heat andthence opening again into the drying chamber, and descending air outletpassages having their upper parts open to receive moist air from thedrying chamber and provided with exits to the external atmosphere,substantially as shown and described.

7. A drying kiln having in combination, a drying chamber, means forsupplying heat, two tracks within the drying chamber, and an elevateddeflector between the same, thus providing vertical air passages betweenthe loaded cars upon the tracks and also between the cars and the Wallsof the drying chamber, and means for deflecting the heat from saidvertical passages horizontally through the lumber upon the cars,substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

8. A drying chamber having horizontal deflectors J in close proximity tothe material being dried, and vertical Walls extending below saiddeflectors to provide at one side of the heating chamber a downwardpassage for the partially saturated air from the drying chamber, and todeflect the heated air toward the center of the drying chamber,substantially as described.

9. A floor, V, V, with opening 0 to the air chamber X, X, with the eartha, a beneath the said floor forming an air passage for cold air, havinginlets A, the duct '1 for conducting the partially saturated air fromthe drying chamber to the said passages, at U, U, substantially asdescribed.

10. An improved dry-kiln having descending air outlet passages openingat their upper ends into a receiver L formed by an exterior projectionin the upper portion of the side wails of the drying chamber, connectedwith the drying chamber and located near the level of the top of thematerial being dried, thence passing downward and their lower endsopening into the atmosphere below the level of the top of the materialbeing dried, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. An improved dry kiln having receivers or air spaces connected withthe drying room at or near the level of the top of the material beingdried and out of line of the upward air current, said receivers beingformed by providing an exterior projection in the side walls of thedrying chamber, and downward extending air passages leading from saidreceiver and opening into the outer atmosphere, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

12. An improved dry-kiln having receivers or open spaces near the levelof the top of the material being dried and out of the line of upwardcurrent of airand connected with the interior of thd drying roomfsaidreceivers being formed by providing exterior projections in the sidewalls of the drying chamber; downward extending air passages leadingfrom said receivers and opening into the outer atmosphere below thelevel of the upper surface of the material being dried and meanssubstantially as described for opening and closing said downwardpassages,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR L. EMERSON. lVitnesses:

J AMES R. MANSFIELD, J. W. BUCK.

